Church Magazine

Dear Friends

I announced in church on Sunday 24 October that Tessa has given us notice that she has accepted a Call in the London area.

Tessa’s last services at Bitterne are likely to be 12 December and the Christingle service on Christmas Eve. The completion of Tessa’s Ministry in the Southampton East Pastorate will be on Boxing Day, 26 December 2021.

Tessa and Mark will have vacated the manse at Marvin Way by the end of January.

The other churches in our Pastorate at Bitterne Park, Hedge End and Peartree Green were also told this news on Sunday 24 October.

We will be sorry to see Tessa go but we wish her God’s Blessing for the future.

Janet Gotham

Brigade news…

We’re back! We started at the beginning of term with face to face meetings. Our members and staff were really pleased to be able to meet, talk and do activities together after such a long time apart. When possible, we are holding our meetings outside, or in well ventilated rooms. So far the Boys Brigade has 2 new members, but we need more as lost a couple during the pandemic, as some boys didn’t like zoom meetings. In our first week, the boys made a giant bamboo catapult which worked pretty well, and last week they made parachutes out of junk to see if they could transport eggs (luckily not real ones!). Great fun, and thanks to Dan for organizing.

We have a Rededication Service for the Brigades and Leaders of young people on Sunday 7th November, so please come along.

EDITOR’S NOTES

It’s hard to believe that we have one more Outlook before Christmas! I have listed a few Church Christmas fayres all happening on 20th November, which is also the date of the Bitterne Precinct Christmas light switch on event.

As this issue went to print before Shoebox Sunday, I am unable to give you the totals of boxes and other donations received. I will let you know next month. Thank you in advance for your kindness and generosity to those less fortunate.

Talking of helping others, Shirley’s daughter, Christine and I have attended sessions helping Southampton Action – please read her article. The charity have secured an empty shop in Meggeson Avenue for a few months. It was very rewarding to help sort through bags of donations; on the first day I helped we had a delivery of a van load of donations organized by Robin’s Nest Emporium. When I arrived in the afternoon of the following day, many of our sorted donations had been put into paper carrier bags with the name of the refugee written on them. The aim of Southampton Action is to give each person a decent coat, a pair of shoes or trainers, and change of clothes and new underwear, and a supply of essential toiletries. I will keep you posted via Outlook and church of items needed for donations. So far, the people of Southampton have been kind and generous.

Nikki Fisher currently has a project of crocheting plastic carrier bags. She cuts the carriers into knittable strips, and then into new bags. If you have any bags with broken handles or holes, please don’t bin them, but bring them to church for Nikki. I’ll try and get a photo of her handiwork for a future Outlook.

Maria Boys